Giles's fears soon became a reality.
Shortly after the military parade, King Rodney XVIII summoned his resident envoy at Crystal Radiance to the palace and berated Giles for his long-standing disrespect towards the royal family.
Without instructions from Grand Duke Greedy Wolf, the messenger could only silently endure the king's scolding. Rodney XVIII even went so far as to suddenly suggest that Giles come to Crystal Radiance to confess his sins.
The king's scribe faithfully recorded this scene.
At the beginning, Giles ' messenger Patterson walked slowly into the audience hall, head held high and chest puffed out, with an arrogant expression.
After the "peace" was established between the royal family and Giles, Patterson was sent by Giles to Crystal Radiance to handle matters such as liaising with the royal family. Relying on Giles ' power, Patterson always presented himself in this manner in the capital.
Because everyone knows that the royal family can't do anything to Giles, and although Giles can't do anything to the royal family either, the royal family, which should be in a superior position, is in such an awkward situation, which many people see as a loss.
Inside the audience hall, cabinet ministers, the king's advisors, and many other high-ranking officials lined up on both sides. Patterson quickly sensed an unusual atmosphere, and his keen senses soon revealed that everyone was looking at him with a stern gaze.
"This is not how you treat a guest," Patterson complained inwardly. He had always considered himself a guest of Crystal Radiance, not a subject of the kingdom, and he was only loyal to Grand Duke Giles.
As he approached, the shadow of the throne loomed over him, and the stern, unsettling atmosphere intensified.
Bang! A loud crash echoed through the audience hall, the sound of a hard object striking the ground with the ceremonial officer's scepter.
"Kneel down!" The master of ceremonies' booming voice echoed in the hall.
While kneeling existed in Aldor aristocratic etiquette, it was not common. It was usually reserved for significant occasions such as when a lord bestowed titles upon his subjects, or when a vassal confessed his sins to his lord.
What's going on today? Patterson was in a state of shock.
He had never received such "courtesy" in previous audiences.
The king would usually exchange pleasantries with him, during which he would thoughtfully inquire about Giles's and his own health, and talk to him about interesting things that had recently happened in Crystal Radiance.
But today, it feels like falling into an ice cave.
It's not hard to see that Rodney XVIII is looking for trouble with him, or rather, with Giles behind him.
"Kneel down!" The protocol officer repeated loudly when Patterson froze.
Patterson suppressed the turmoil in his heart and tried to appear calm. "Your Majesty Rodney XVIII, could you please tell me what happened that caused Lord Giles's envoy to be treated so coldly? Is it the slander of a despicable person, or the malicious gossip of an envious person, that has caused a rift in the friendship between the royal family and the Southern Territory?"
A figure emerged from the ranks of the kingdom's high officials. Earl Morrin coldly addressed Patterson: "It is your master Giles who has committed an unforgivable crime of treason, and you, as his envoy to Crystal Radiance, must stand trial in his place."
The sound of heavy footsteps rang out, and menacing palace guards approached Patterson, one on each side, pressing down on his shoulders with tremendous force.
Patterson realized that if he stubbornly resisted, something very bad might happen.
He said angrily, "I will report today's events to His Highness Giles truthfully." Then he knelt down with a thud.
The throne reflected a cold light in the firelight. King Rodney XVIII stroked the armrest, casting his stern gaze down at Patterson.
He said sternly, "Three hundred years ago, Giles's ancestor swore an oath of loyalty to the royal family right here. He probably never imagined that the sacred oath would be broken by his own descendants."
"Your Majesty, this is slander! Prince Giles has always been loyal to the kingdom." Patterson defended his lord vehemently.
"Loyalty to the kingdom?" Rodney XVIII said angrily, "Raising an army to attack the royal domains, driving out the other lords in the south, and fighting back when the royal army marched south—is that what loyalty to the kingdom is?"
"Oh! He may be loyal to the Kingdom of Aldor, but he is loyal to Giles ' Aldor —if his ambitions are realized, not to Rodney's Aldor, am I right?"
Faced with the king's stern questioning, Patterson lowered his head and remained silent.
"Has the northern wind chilled your tongue?" The king's voice even startled the birds outside the audience chamber. "Or perhaps Giles never anticipated this situation and failed to teach you how to speak?"
The chainmail of the palace guards clanged in the silence. Rodney XVIII raised his hand to signal the Lord Keeper of the Seals, who unrolled a scroll and began to read aloud. The scroll contained a record of Giles ' crimes, one after another, including the few that Rodney XVIII had just mentioned, and others, filling a thick book.
The royal family is about to turn against Giles! Patterson, who was forced to listen to the record of his lord's crimes, was resigned, but he did not expect such a terrible situation, where he was directly called in and berated.
Not a single mistake, not a single song, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single 6-9 book, not a single bar, take a look!
After the Lord Keeper of the Seal finished reading, the King said coldly, "Although Giles has committed a crime that cannot be easily forgiven, as a benevolent ruler, I am not always willing to resort to force. Listen carefully, Patterson."
Patterson looked at the king upon hearing the sound, trying to find the guilty conscience in the young king's eyes. Perhaps the king was just trying to intimidate him with bluster, but unfortunately, he failed.
Rodney XVIII's eyes held only unwavering resolve and indifference; not a trace of guilt could be found.
He continued, "As long as Giles comes here in person to apologize to me, I will still give him a dignified ending."
"What a joke!" Patterson scoffed inwardly. Giles might really come here, but he would definitely bring an army with him.
"My lord will not accept such absurd slander!" Patterson said. "He will uphold the sacred traditions of antiquity and defend his rights by reasonable means—including force, of course—even against you, His Majesty the King."
"So, he's determined to stand up to the royal family to the end?" Rodney XVIII said coldly. Patterson's answer was not unexpected, or rather, this was the situation he wanted.
"In that case, let him explain to the Kingdom Army! I will send troops south to lock up the so-called Greedy Wolf Grand Duke and imprison him in a prison wagon all the way to Crystal Radiance."
His Majesty the King showed no sign of softening, and finally, he ordered Patterson to be banished from the palace.
The details of this audience were recorded and widely disseminated through newspapers and other publications.
Soon after, everyone learned that the king was going to take action against Giles in the south.